The Goodyear Blimp in the Los Angeles Area

The airship Wingfoot Two, based at Goodyear’s airship base in Carson since October 26, 2017, replaced the Spirit of Innovation, the last of the model GZ-20 Goodyear blimps,that retired from Carson airship base on March 14, 2017.

Wingfoot Two launched in 2014 in Ohio, is one of Goodyear’s two newest state-of-the-art Zeppelin NT semi-rigid airships that are larger, faster and more maneuverable than the previous model GZ-20 Goodyear blimps. At 246 feet in length, nearly the length of a football field, the Zeppelin NTs are much larger than older Goodyear airships and slightly longer than Boeing 747 jetliners. Technically, this Goodyear “Blimp” isn’t actually a blimp at all because blimps have no internal structure, only maintaining their shape when inflated. Zeppelin NTs are constructed around a carbon fiber and aluminum semi-rigid frame that maintains the shape of the airship (with a capacity of 300,000 cubic feet of helium) at all times.

The Wingfoot Two makes about 10 flights per day and provides a bird's eye view for television coverage for special events. During daylight hours, it may take Goodyear clients and sales people for rides. After dark, it dons a lighted billboard to promote charities or other causes.

Rides on Wingfoot Two are by invitation only and generally limited to members of the media and corporate trade guests of Goodyear.

In December 2017, Wingfoot Two received a 337-foot-long inflated hangar at its Carson airship base along the I-405 freeway.

1 The car for Columbia (1975) was first used for Enterprise in 1934 and restored as part of Columbia. It is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.2Columbia (VIII) was renamed Eagle and, later, Spirit of America.3Spirit of America was christened on September 5, 2002 in a ceremony in Akron, Ohio, by Letitia Driscoll, mother of NYPD Officer Stephen Driscoll, who died in the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.4Spirit of Innovation, the last of Goodyear's model GZ-20 blimps, was built in Akron in 2006 and operated from Pompano Beach, Florida, from 2006 to 2015, before coming to California.